From Frankfort

FRANKFORT – Three of Kentucky’s university and college presidents say that if Gov. Matt Bevin’s recommended cuts to higher education budget become a reality, look for significant cuts to take place in relation to programs and jobs on campus.
Members of the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education heard from EKU President Michael Benson, WKU President Timothy Caboni, and Kentucky Community and Technical College (KCTS) President Jay Box about the negative effects the cuts will have on their institutions.
Part of... Read more

FRANKFORT- Kentucky lobbying spending hit an all-time record last session.
Lobbying interests spent a whopping $20.8 million, narrowly beating the old record set in 2016 of $20.78 million.
The new record is even more shocking given the General Assembly was in session for just 30 days in 2017. The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission reports that in 2017, 615 lobbyists worked for 714 employers, and were paid $18.8 million, which accounted for more than 90 percent of all lobbying spending.
Lobbyist-paid... Read more

FRANKFORT – Teachers are not happy at what they call an attack on education and they’re fighting back by running for seats in the General Assembly.
Educators gathered in the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday for a rally to recognize 40 retired and current teachers and administrators who’ve filed to run for seats in the House and Senate.
Of the 40 educators running for the General Assembly, 34 are teachers and six are administrators.
In total, 23 women and 17 men are running; of... Read more

FRANKFORT — McCarthy Strategic Solutions has named Sherman Brown and Jeff Busick as partners, joining Amy Wickliffe and founder and managing partner John McCarthy, a former chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky.
Brown, is a regular on election night at Pure Politics, he is a Louisville native who has been with McCarthy since 2011. Brown is a former campaign insider, playing key roles in Gov. Steve Beshear’s 2007 and 2011 campaigns for governor. He serves on the University of... Read more

FRANKFORT – One of the biggest surprises yesterday during the final day of candidates filing to run for 2018 political races was the withdrawal of candidacy from 66th District Rep. Addia Wuchner.
Wuchner, who was first elected in 2004, said that a number of factors went into her decision.
“First, I want to say that I’ve always believed that this is not a career,” Wuchner said. “You know, we come here to serve for a given amount of time, it... Read more

FRANKFORT – Justice and Public Safety Secretary John Tilley says Kentucky’s prisons and jails will be out of room by May of 2019, if not before, if things do not change.
Tilley told members of the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice, Public Safety, and Judiciary, that if nothing is done, decisions will have to be made to look for beds in other areas.
“If, in fact, if it comes to that, we would have to consider options, again, planning for additional... Read more

FRANKFORT – A bill which would allow the health district boards to negotiate among their members a dollar amount for each county to contribute their share to help fund a public health department for a designated area was passed by the House Standing Committee on Appropriations and Revenue.
House Bill 190, sponsored by Rep. David Hale, R-Wellington, says the bill is aimed at helping rural communities around the state.
“There’s quite a difference in the amount that counties contribute to this based... Read more

FRANKFORT- Fifteen states are asking the Supreme Court to uphold a Kentucky law that requires women considering abortion be shown ultrasound images of the unborn fetus and listen to the heartbeat.
An amicus brief was filed by Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia. The states argue the law is constitutional because states have a substantial interest in regulating whether a patient is fully informed about a medical procedure.
The... Read more

UPDATE 12:05
Flanked by acting House Speaker David Osborne, House Majority Whip Kevin Bratcher and Rep. Phil Moffett, Republican Party of Jefferson County Jim Standsbury filed his paperwork for the GOP nomination in the 46th Dist.
This district is currently held by Rep. Al Gentry, D-Louisville.
UPDATE 11:25
Matt Koch, a Republican from Paris, was joined by Sen. Steve West, R-Paris, and greeted by Blake Brickman, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, as he filed paperwork for the 72nd House District, currently held... Read more

FRANKFORT- Two bills aimed at saving money by consolidating counties and school districts have been introduced in the Kentucky House by Representative Toby Herald, R-Beattyville.
The first measure, House Bill 242, would reduce the number of school districts in the state from 173 to 55. The second, House Bill 243, would reduce the number of counties in the state from 120 to 55. Nineteen counties, including Jefferson and Fayette, would not be consolidated.
Reporter Don Weber spoke with Representative Herald about... Read more